200 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



part of the distance, with rapids produced by the waters rushing 

 over siliceous slate ledges, in which are veins of quartz for the re- 

 mainder — we reach Brassua Lake, of which our author writes : 

 " The shores are composed of graywacke slate, containing obscure 

 remains of shells. Numerous boulders of greenstone trap also 

 occur. The eastern shore is composed of granite rocks, and is 

 covered with a dense growth of small poplar trees and white birch, 

 which indicate a poor soil. Farther up the lake, we come to dense 

 forests of cedar, spruce, birch, maple and pine trees, and the rocks 

 are graywacke slate." Leaving this pond. Moose river pursues its 

 course east for five miles, and empties its waters into Moose Head 

 Lake. 



A great part of the land upon Moose River is entirely worthless 

 for farming purposes, but there are ridges, or swells of good land. 

 Those who are well acquainted in this region, represent the forests 

 as composed of a mixed growth of beech, pine, spruce and yellow 

 birch, with an abundance of sugar maples, indicating a good soil, 

 which, in places, is found to consist of a yellow loam upon a sub- 

 stratum of clay. The rocks are chiefly calciferous slate, stratified, 

 running N.E. S.W. - Speaking of the land around the settlement at 

 Holden Township, Dr. Jackson, from whose reports I have made 

 liberal extracts, says : " The soil at the Moose River settlement 

 is generally good, and produces ample crops of wheat and other 

 grain, the average yield of wheat being fifteen bushels to the acre, 

 on un-manured uplands." This was written in 1838. Following 

 a statement of some crops raised at No, 5, Range II, ho remarks : * * 

 "it is evident that the soil in this region is rich and well adapted 

 to cultivation, and that profitable investments may be made by 

 clearing and cultivating farms on the Canada road. The nature of 

 the soil, as indicated by the forest trees, is evidently strong and 

 good in many other parts of this section." * * 



Away to the north of Range II, there are some thirty townships 

 of land, embracing about a million acres of territory yet unsurveyed. 

 But little is known at present, of the character of the soil, forest 

 growth, or general appearance of this portion of the county. Doubt- 

 less much of the land is worthless, and a large part of the timber 

 of but little value. What its resources are, remains to be told, and 

 many years will pass before this is known. 



It is during the winter season that this northern part of the 

 county is most inhabited, and presents its greatest activity. In 

 the vicinity of Moose Ilead Lake, upon the waters of Dead and 



